Return of a Hero
by HHrLove
Summary: 10 years. It had been 10 years since her and Ron had wed. 10 years their first child had been born. 10 years since Harry Potter left. And now, she found out he was dead, or was he? MUCH BETTER THAN SUMMARY!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Here's a story I guess you could say was complied from several different fan fics I've read over the months…particularly like one called Right and Easy by Harmonykate…though it is definitely not just like mine! I promise!! Hee hee! Well here you go!!

Heres my story Return of a Hero…

10 years. It had been 10 years since her and Ron had wed. 10 years their first child had been born.

10 years since Harry Potter left.

"_Guess what, Harry?!" Hermione approached him excitedly while he was attempting to study._

"_What?" Harry asked looking up. _

_Ron came over and put and arm around his girlfriends shoulders. "We're getting married. I'm pregnant." _

_Harry's grin fell, "What?" He was in shock but recovered quickly, "I mean, wow, uh…that's great." Ron smiled, "Thanks mate." He slapped him on the back._

_Harry had realized earlier that year, after the final battle, that he was deeply and crazily in love with his best friend: Hermione. He was with Ginny them, but he was going to tell Hermione how he felt anyway that night. But he didn't. Hermione was busy kissing Ron and hugging Harry. Now they were getting married. Great. Wonderful. _

"_Harry?" Hermione called pulling him out of thought. "Yeah? I'm sorry, just dazed a bit."_

_Earlier that day he'd been offered a chance to do some investigate work in America for the Ministry. He thought he'd say no, but now… "Guys, that's great. I have good news, too! I've been offered a big job in America; I'm going to take it!" _

"_Oi! That's great, Harry!" Ron exclaimed._

2 Weeks Later…

"_So when will we see you? It's only for a few months, right?" Hermione asked him as he packed his bags in the boot of the car. _

"_I...I...dunno, Hermione." He didn't want to tell her he probably wasn't coming back. He needed to get out of the way of his friends relationship before he did something crazy he'd regret. "But, yea, a couple months."_

_Hermione's face fell, "I'll miss you." _

"_I'll miss you, too…I'll write." He said, hating he just made a promise he probably couldn't keep. _

_She hugged him goodbye._

10 years had gone by: nothing. She had gotten one letter after he first moved, then; nothing. Until one day a few months ago when they received a certified message by owl.

"_Mum we got mail!" Gabriella yelled._

_Hermione smiled, "Thanks, Gabby!" She took the message from the owl's leg and untied it. _

_In perfect penmanship it wrote:_

_Mr. and Mrs. Weasley: _

_I am terribly sorry to inform you that your dear friend, Harry James Potter has been killed while on duty in America. We are sorry for your loss, and send our regards._

_Minister Kingsley _

"_NO!" Hermione exclaimed collapsing to the ground on her knees. "No…" She said crying hysterically and clutching the letter in her hand. _

"_Mum?" Gabriella asked frantically. When her mother didn't respond and continued crying, she ran to get her dad._

_  
"Mum…she read a letter, she started crying and yelling 'no'. She won't answer me, she collapsed to the ground!" Ron ran into the kitchen to find his wife looking exactly as she had described. She was shaking and crying harder than she had in her whole life, some moments so hard you couldn't hear the sobs. Her hair was falling out of its bun._

"_Hermione…what's wrong? What's happened?" She continued crying, handing him the note. He took the letter from her shaking hand and read it. All the color drained from his face. He just stood there, not saying a word. _

"_Dad?" Gabriella asked, "Dad? What's wrong???!!" She frantically questioned. _

"_Go to your room, Gabriella." He said softly._

"_But-" She tried to protest._

"_Go!" He yelled. Gabriella ran to her room. Ron bent down and held his wife, she pulled away and continued hysterically crying. _

From then on, Hermione was never the same. She hadn't known where he was all those years, hadn't heard from him. And now he's gone. Really _gone_. She had realized she was in love with him long before Ron and she had started dating. But he was with Ginny then, and she knew that he didn't love her. And besides, Ron had kept her happy all these years. _Don't lie to yourself Hermione, he's always drunk…he's abusive…_But she had a 10 year old daughter to worry about, Gabriella.

"Mum?" A soft voice called, pulling her out of her gazing thoughts.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Gabby." She apologized.

"Are you okay?" Gabriella asked, worried.

"I'm fine, dear." Hermione lied, faking a smile.

Ron looked at his wife, "Are you sure? Wait…is it?"

She simply nodded, "Yes."

Gabby was confused. For as long as she could remember, her parents had talked about some secret topic or something. It had gotten worse in the past few months, after the letter arrived. The letter that had her mother falling to the ground in hysterical tears. Her mother hadn't done anything for days; but cry, sit and stare. Gabriella had asked her dad what was wrong, but her dad refused to tell her. _"I can't tell you, Gabriella, but don't ever, ever talk about this around or to your mum." _He had told her. She had agreed; reluctantly and frustrated.

"Gabby, are you coming to the grocery?" Hermione called from the next room.

"Yeah, Mum, I'm coming!" She yelled, grabbing her coat and running to the door. They were going to a Muggle Grocery. They lived in Muggle London, because Hermione liked it better; though Ron hated it.

Hermione and Gabriella were walking through the store, having their usual argument.

"Mum, please, can we get…"

"No."

"But-"

"No." 

"Please!" Gabriella pleaded.

"Let her." A male voice came from about 15 feet away. Gabby looked at him confused, but smiling. She glanced to her mom, who was absolutely frozen, her brown eyes huge, shaking, and her heart beating fast.

There, standing a relatively far distance away from them was a man. Raven black hair, electric green eyes, scar…baggy jeans and a navy Polo shirt. She gasped.

It was none other than Harry Potter.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey…guys…thanks for reviewing! It means A LOT! I like to know how many people are actually reading my story!! I'm also working on my more popular story, One More Hour, right now and I haven't updated that in a while so I'm going to be a little busy with that as well…but I'll get the chapters out soon! Most of them are pre-written, just need to be typed!!

Muuch Muuuchh Loooovvee…

Ps. The fan fic I was thinking of was not Right and Easy…It was Move Along…sorry:)

This Chapter is called "Deliver us from Ron"

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_There, standing a relatively far distance away from them was a man. Raven black hair, electric green eyes, scar…baggy jeans and a navy Polo shirt. She gasped._

_It was none other than Harry Potter._

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She acted purely on instinct, with tears in her eyes and running down her cheeks, she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck; crying hysterically into his chest.

"Harry…" She croaked. She could not believe what was happening. She hoped it wasn't a dream. But it had to be…he's dead. He's gone. No…no…this can't be happening.

He held her tighter, "Mione…"

She cried harder, she didn't want him to ever let go of her. "Why didn't…how did…I thought you were…"

"I know." He said, hands running through her hair. She loved the feeling of his arms after so long.

She only pulled back just enough to look at him and his electric green eyes. "You're here."

He nodded and hugged her again, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry for leaving…I'm sorry."

She cried harder, "I missed you; I missed you so much…" She whimpered.

"I know. I know." He said, rubbing her back. Over her shoulder, Harry caught sight of a young girl, wide eyed; spitting image of Hermione. Hair, eyes, through her hair was a bit tamer than Hermione's was at that age.

"Your daughter?" He asked, pulling away a little and she turned to face her shocked daughter, still in Harry's arms.

"Uhh...yeah." She said, wiping away a few tears. "Gabby, come here."

Gabriella obeyed and walked over. Harry had no idea what he was supposed to say.

"Uh…Hi, Gabby, I'm…I'm Harry." He said, looking a little bewildered.

Gabriella nodded, "Hi."

"Gabriella, this was…or is, your daddy and I's best friend." Hermione explained nervously.

Gabriella raised her eyebrows. "How come I never heard of you?"

Harry looked at Hermione's bent head, "You…You never told her about me?"

Hermione looked up into his eyes and snapped, "Can you blame me? You left."

It hit him like 1,000 bullets to his heart. "I…I know. I'm sorry. You have no idea how sorry, Hermione, how much I missed you. We can talk…later; I do need to tell you why I left."

"Yes. You do." She said.

She leaned into his side, "I'm just glad you finally came home."

"Me, too." He said kissing the top of her head. He still loved her, though she didn't know it. She still loved him, though he didn't know it.

"I'm sorry." She said, falling into his arms crying again, "I thought you were dead."

"Well I'm not, I'm here." She cried and he held her for a few minutes, not caring that everyone, including her 10 year old daughter, was looking at them.

She pulled away and wiped some of her tears, "Gabriella, um, we need to get home. Let's check out and go. Harry…come on, you're coming, of course."

"Yes Ma'am." He smiled at her, wiping away a tear she had missed with his fingers.

"Oh, stop it!" She said, stifling a short laugh under old tears still swelled in her eyes. "And yes, Gab, You can get those." She smiled, looking into Harry's shimmering emerald eyes.

Gabriella smiled, "Thanks Harry."

"No problem, Ellie, your mom has her weaknesses." Gabriella like that Harry already had a nickname for her, and he barely knew her. She was beginning to like Harry a lot. She smiled and laughed, hugging him as if she'd known him forever.

"What like you?" She asked curiosity and knowing in her eyes.

Hermione and Harry fell silent at this question and looked away.

Gabriella realized they were avoiding that comment, so she changed the subject. "Mum…that one's open!" She gestured towards an empty checkout line.

"Right!" Hermione said and the three let the cashier ring up their items.

On the way back to the car, Hermione walked back with her arm looped through Harry's. A bright smile, a genuine smile was plastered across her face, for the first time in years. Gabriella loved seeing her mom like this; she never remembered a time where her mom was happy. Not once. She was a wonderful mother; she never thought her mom didn't love her. Her mom loved her a lot. Most of the time, they only had each other.

"So, Harry…" Hermione grinned, loving being able to say that name without fear, tears, or anger. "How'dya get here?"

"Here? Oh...appa-" Harry stopped, "Wait does she know?"

Hermione nodded, "Yes. But thank you."

"Apparation." Harry answered.

Gabriella squealed, "Oh! Good you're a wizard I wasn't sure! What's your name again?"

"Harry Potter." Harry told her with a smirk.

Gabriella stopped walking and her jaw dropped. Harry and Hermione turned back to look at her. "H…Harry Potter??!!"

"Yes, Ellie, Potter." He chuckled.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, "I've read a lot about you when you were a baby and a little boy! Though I can't seem to find anything about when you were at Hogwarts…" They continued to walk.

Harry and Hermione both knew why. Hermione had hidden every book that had any indication of Harry, especially the trio's relationship. But it was impossible to hide Harry Potter completely. They chose to ignore that comment and tell her the truth later.

Harry sighed, "Just like your mother…"

Hermione elbowed him in the ribs and Gabriella laughed.

They finally reached a pricey black SUV and got in. Gabriella sat in the back, but leaned forward so she could talk to her mother and Harry.

There was a silence as Hermione put the key in ignition and turned on the engine. They pulled out of the parking lot and on to the London roads.

"So, Hermione, what do you do?" Harry asked curiously.

"Umm…I'm a stay at home mum." Hermione answered, biting her lip.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked shocked.

"You heard me." She smirked.

"I…you…that's…whoa." Harry was at a loss for words.

"Why is that hard to believe?" Gabriella asked confused.

"I always thought your mum would have a career…I mean at school…You always were so set on having a successful career outside of your home life." Harry answered honestly.

"Yeah, but Ron's busy with the Cannons' so…I have to be around to be home." She answered, realizing how much she had given up for Ron.

"That's not right for you to give everything up for him, Hermione. I know you have Gabriella, but…" He didn't know what to say.

"It's okay, Harry…uh…later." She answered giving him a look saying they could talk later.

Her MagicCell started to ring. "I'll get it!" Gabriella exclaimed. "Oh...it's dad."

She answered, "Hello….oh, I dad…yea…no…really? Cool…no…yea almost…ok…bye."

She hung up and sighed, "It sounds like he's drunk again, Mum."

Hermione avoided Harry looking at her. She was frowning and focused on the road.

"Hermione?" Harry called her, touching her arm as she drove.

"I'm fine; Harry…Ron's just a little tipsy." She lied to him.

Gabriella sighed, "Don't lie, mum, I hate him."

"Gabriella Lily Weasley!" Hermione exclaimed, she didn't like Ron either but didn't want her to say she _hated_ her own father, no matter how bad he was.

"Lily…" Harry said softly. "Lily…" He said a bit louder.

Hermione looked at him, "Oh, umm…I'm sorry Harry I didn't mean to…"

"No." Harry said, holding his hand up, smiling. "It's fine. It's honoring."

"What?" Gabriella asked curiously.

"Oh, we named you, your middle name, after Harry's mother." Hermione told her.

"That's so cool!" She said honestly, "But mom, really I hate him."

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment.

"How long, Hermione?" Harry asked her.

"Just…well, a few months after we got married. He's gone all the time…he just gets really drunk and bad sometimes. I…" She didn't know what else to say.

"Hermione…" He started.

"Later, Harry, please." She told him.

They pulled into a long driveway of a big white house. The three got out of the car. Hermione opened the front door. They walked in.

"Well, hello." Ron said as they sauntered in the door. Harry noticed that Hermione was upset, but hiding it. Gabriella looked afraid. Harry wished he knew what she wasn't telling him.

"Hi, Ron." Hermione said. 

Ron spotted Harry, "Well, you two were gone for a while. And look if it isn't our dear best friend, I thought he was dead." He hissed.

"Ron…stop." Hermione asked him fearfully.

"What is your problem, Hermione?" Ron walked towards his daughter, "You met him didn't you? Huh?"

Gabriella was trembling. He grabbed Gabriella by the arm.

Harry was shocked, "Ron!" He exclaimed.

Ron let go of his daughter and looked to Harry and Hermione. He stepped toward Hermione and she took a step back. He walked toward her fast. He grabbed her arm, squeezing it tight and raised his hand. Gabriella closed her eyes.

Harry jumped forward and pushed him off of her. He slammed Ron against the wall, "Don't you dare! Don't you dare touch her!!"

"What do you care? You left us?" Ron said harshly.

Harry pushed him harder against the wall, "Your right, that was terrible of me, but I'm back and I swear to Merlin I will not let you touch her! Or Gabriella!"

Hermione was breathing heavily; she turned to Gabriella, cowering in the corner, watching the events fold out. "Gab…go…get your stuff, pack as fast as you can and come back down."

Gabriella didn't waste a second, she bolted up the stair. Hermione stayed where she was, "Ron, I'm leaving."

"No." Ron said defiantly. Harry held his wand to Ron's neck, he punched his best friend in the face, "She is leaving. What is wrong with you?"

Hermione ran up the stairs and magically had all her things together and downstairs in 5 seconds. Gabriella was already down stairs when she walked down the steps.

"Don't even think about touching either of them again. If you say anything threatening to them again, I'll kick your arse. And if you lay a hand on them, I'll kill you." He said, releasing him and followed Gabriella and Hermione out the door.

Once outside, Hermione dropped her bags and began to cry, as Harry held her in his arms.

"I can't believe that he just…Has he done this before?" He asked her, holding her tightly.

"A few times. Thank you Harry. I tried to leave, but I couldn't bring myself to do it and…" She continued crying.

"It's okay. I promise. I won't let him hurt you anymore." He took one arm from Hermione and extended it so Gabriella could join them. 

Gabriella let Harry's arm slip around her back. The two let Harry hug them. "I won't let him hurt you either, Ell, never. I'm so sorry you two had to go through this."

"Thanks Harry." Gabriella thanked him.

"Of course. You don't deserve this. Hermione, really, you don't deserve this!" He hugged them.

"C'mon now, get your bags. I don't have a flat yet I just got here yesterday. But I was going to check into this one hotel, so you two are coming with me."

Hermione nodded, she didn't want to protest. She needed her best friend right now, more than ever. He was rescuing her from Ron.

With his arms around the shoulders of both of them, they slowly walked down the path to the driveway and climbed silently in the SUV.

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A/N: I hope this chapter was okay. I liked it, but it also is still introducing the story! I would LOVE reviews…lol. Comments, suggestions…whatever:) 


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